Device for wrapping an adhesive connecting band around the abutting ends of a double cigarette and mouthpiece assemblage



29, 1957 M. POLLMANN DEVICE FOR WRAPPING AN ADHESIVE CONNECTING BAND AROUND THE'ABUTTING ENDS OF A DOUBLE CIGARETTE AND MOUTHPIECE ASSEMBLAGE Filed March 25, 1955 jflvn/ar flax PaZZmann DEVHCE FOR WRAPPING AN ADHESIVE CON- NEQTKNG BANE) AROUND THE ABUT'IING ENDS (OF A DOUBLE CIGARETTE AND MOUTH- PEEEE ASSEMBLAGE Max Pollrnann, Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany, assignmto Kurt Korber & Co. K.-G., Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany Application March 23, 1955, Serial No. 496,294 7 Claims priority, application Germany April 28, 1954 2 Claims. (Cl. 131-94) The present invention relates to improvements in cigarette making apparatus, and more particularly to a mechanism for applying wrapper bands to double length mouthpiece elements and the adjacent ends of a pair of cigarettes placed in abutting relationwith the opposed ends of the filter element, whereupon the filter element may be cut intermediate its ends to produce a pair of filter mouthpiece cigarettes of uniform dimensions. The present application is an improvement upon certain features of the B. Schubert application, Serial ,No. 338,360, filed February 24, 1953, now Patent 2,714,384.

One object is to provide a folding mechanism in which roller contact membersare provided for engaging the wrapper band in such a manner that the free ends of the band will be quickly and easily folded in overlapping relation and aclhesively secured without causing the wrapper to be wrinkled during the operation of the folding mechanism.

,Another object is to provide a mechanism for folding the ends of a wrapperband around a double length mouthpiece filter and the ends of a pair of cigarettes of conventional length placed in abutting relation with the filter so that when the ends of the wrapper band are adhesively secured together by the anti friction rollers on the ends of the folding levers the wrapper will be applied and the ends secured in firm overlapping relation, thus making a smooth joint between the overlapping ends of the wrapper band.

Hitherto, the folding levers havebeen provided with enlarged rounded end portions which alternately move into positionand are cam actuatedto fold the endsof the wrapper band into tight sealing contactual'engagement. Frequently, the enlarged heads engage the outer overlapping end during its retracting stroke and exerts a pull force thereon which slightly separates the ends of the band. l

The above disadvantages are overcome by providing roller elements of a width slightly greater than the width of the band so that the roller element will firmly engage the ends of the wrapper band and press the same into tight contactual sealing engagement and during the retracting stroke of the folding elements,'the rollers move over the surface of the outer flap without'creating fric-E i cigarettes so that subsequently the double length mouthpiece may be cut or divided, intermediate its ends to form a pair of cigarettes with a filter mouthpiece on one end.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the Sttes Patent 7 mechanism shown in Figure 1 illustrating one of the levers arranged to engage the ends of the wrapper band and fold the same into overlapping sealing engagement.

In the drawing, and more in detail, thereis shown a rotary shaft 5 which may be supported in the machine frame by suitable bearings (not shownland connected .to a suitable source of power such as an electric motor coupled to the shaft '5 by reduction gearing. Mounted on the shaft 5 is the hub 6 of a drum 7 having a series of equidistantly circumferentially spaced grooves 8 which are arranged parallel-to the axis of the shaft 5 and are adapted to receive a filter mouthpiece and a pair of cigarettes of substantially conventional length with one end of each cigarette in abutting relation with each end of the mouthpiece. Before the assembled double filter elements and cigarettes are fed to the grooves 8, a paper wrapper band is deposited in one of the grooves 8 in advance of thedeposition of the filter cigarette units, and in order to hold the wrapper in place, radially extending ducts 9 are formed in the drum 7 and have their inner ends connected to a source of reduced pressure, while their outer ends communicate with the grooves 8 by passages .10. Other passages (not shown) may be provided for holding the spaced cigarettes in the grooves 8 during rotation of the drum 7 and during the folding operation of the wrapper bands.

The wrapper bands are deposited in the grooves 8 with their ends 12 and 13 projecting upwardly so that the filter elements 14 and cigarettes 15 (Fig. 2) will be embraced by the ends 12 and 13 when the flaps are folded by means of a mechanism to be presently described and which is similar'in construction and :operation to the mechanism shown in the B. Schubert Patent 2,714,384.

If desired, the drum 7 may be rotated-from gearing actuating other parts of the, machine, as for instance from the assembly and depositing drum shown in the: above application. In this event, gearing 16 will be provided in the form of a ring gear at one end of the drum '7. In this manner the drum 7 can be rotated 'intimed relation with the feed mechanism for depositing the mouthpiece filters and a pair of cigarettes into each of thegrooves 8 on the drum 7. 'The grooves S'being arranged'to mate with groovesin the depositing drum with which the drum 7 is in contact. i v

Reciprocably mounted in the drum 7 in suitable guides is a pair of radially reciprocating levers 18and 19'-and said levers 18 and 19 are components of a folding mechanism which is provided for each of the stations or position with respect to the periphery of the drum 7.

Mounted adjacent the reciprocating member 18 is a short shaft 25 to one end of which is affixed a lever 27.

Mounted on the end of the lever 27 is a roller 28 which is adapted to receive in a cam track 29 diagrammatically illustrated and shown in dotted lines to represent its position with respect to the drum; The cam track is formed in an annular member mounted adjacent one end to cause the reciprocating members 18 and 19 to be moved radially. The shaft 25 is mounted in suitable bearings in the drum 7 and is provided on one end with a lever 30 secured in place by means of a screw 31 which compresses the bifurcated end 32 of the lever 30 in clamping engagement with the shaft 25. The free end of the lever 30 is provided with a notch 33 for receiving a pin 34 on the member 19. Thus, as the roller 28 engages one of the lobes or undulating portions of the cam trackway 29, the member 19 will be reciprocated and projected radially against the action of the retention spring 21.

The reciprocating member 18 is operated in substantially the same manner, and as shown in Figure 1 a shaft 36 is rotatably mounted in the drum 7 and has secured to one end a lever 38 having a cam roller 39 which is adapted to engage within a cam trackway 40 formed in the same annular member in which the camway or track 29 is formed. A lever 42 is secured to the shaft 36 by means of a screw 44 which holds the lever in fixed relation with the shaft 36 to 'move therewith. The free end of the lever is notched as at 45 to receive a pin 46 on the reciprocating member 18. Thus, as the lever 38 is rocked to and fro through the roller 39 traversing the cam track 40 the lever 42 will be rocked about the shaft 36 and the reciprocating member 18 will be projected radially against the action of the coil spring 20.

A pair of folding flaps or plates 48 and 49 are pivotally secured to the outer ends of the respective reciprocating members 18 and 19 and pivot pins 50 and 51 are provided for hingedly connecting said folding plates or flaps 48 for swinging movement. Torsion coil springs (not shown) surround the pivot pins 50 and the ends of the torsion springs are connected to the reciprocating members 18 and 19 and to the folding flaps or plates 48 and 49 to exert pressure thereon in a direction toward one another.

The outer swinging ends of the folding plates 48 and 49 are provided with rollers 53 and 54 which are received in notched portions 55 in the outer ends of the flaps 48 and 49 as shown in Figure 2. The rollers 53 and 54 may be formed of rubber or a suitable material which will not unduly deform the cigarette mouthpiece and inner ends thereof. Pins 56 and 57 extend through the ends of the flaps 48 and 49 adjacent the notch 55 to form bearing pins or supports for the rollers 53 and 54.

' In operation, as the reciprocating members 18 and 19 are alternately moved so that the roller 53 will first engage the flap 12 and fold it over the filter mouthpiece 14 and inner ends of the cigarettes 15 and then the reciprocating member 19 operated or projected to cause the roller 54 to engage the flap 13 and fold it over the flap 12 in adhesive sealing contactual engagement. During the retraction of the reciprocating members 18 and 19, the rollers 53 and 54 move over the surface of the Wrapper and the overlapping ends 12 and 13 nicely and smoothly and will not Wrinkle or otherwise mutilate the paper wrapper band.

It is to be understood, that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism for folding and applyinga wrapper band having adhesive on one end, a drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches to receive a wrapper strip, double length filter mouthpiece and a pair of cigarettes arranged on opposite sides of thernouthpiece with the inner ends overlying the edges of the wrapper strip, a pair of reciprocating members adapted to be alternately operated, yielding spring means for holding said members retracted, cam means for moving said members radially outward, plates provided with notches and being pivoted to the outer ends of said reciprocating members, means yieldingly urging said plates toward one another, and a roller positioned within each notch and carried by the outer end of each plate adapted to engage the ends of the wrapper strip and adhesively secure the same together in overlapping relation.

2. In a mechanism for folding and applying a wrapper band having adhesive on one end, a drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches to receive a wrapper strip, double length filter mouthpiece and a pair of cigarettes arranged on opposite sides of the mouthpiece with the inner ends overlying the edges or" the wrapper strip, a pair of reciprocating members adapted .to be alternately operated, yielding spring means for holding said members retracted, cam means for moving said members radially outward, plates provided with notches and being pivoted to the outer ends of said reciprocating members, means yieldingly urging said plates toward one another, and a rubber roller positioned within each notch and carried by the outer end of each plate adapted to engage the ends of the wrapper strip and adhesively secure the same together in overlapping relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schubert Aug. 2, 1955 

